


Save Me

by TheSadisticMunchkin



Series: NU'EST Soulmate Series [3]
Category: NU'EST
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Depression, First Meetings, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mute Minki, Please read with caution, Suicide Attempt, mute character, trigger warning: attempted suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:20:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22067677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSadisticMunchkin/pseuds/TheSadisticMunchkin
Summary: You have a soulmate clock which is actually a countdown of how long your soulmate has left to live.When time starts ticking and there seems to be no way out, it never occurs to Minki that the universe may not want him dead just yet.
Relationships: Choi Minki | Ren/Kang Dongho | Baekho
Series: NU'EST Soulmate Series [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1588249
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Save Me

**Author's Note:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: THERE IS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND IN DEPTH DEPICTIONS OF DEPRESSIVE THOUGHTS SO PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION

It was a beautiful night.

The wind was at that perfect speed and temperature for a typical day in October. There was a light rain that painted the pavements with reflections of gold and silver underneath the twinkling city lights. The view of the tall New York buildings was a sight that not everyone would be lucky enough to see from the top of the Empire State building. Minki should have considered himself lucky. If he hadn’t been crying, he would have enjoyed the cool breeze blowing against his face. 

It didn’t seem so scary to see his feet dangling hundreds of feet above the ground even though he knew it was supposed to. The lights weren’t as blinding as he hoped they’d be. He hoped to close his eyes and think of nothing. Oh well.  _ You can’t have everything,  _ he thought. The view felt almost like a dream to him, like he wasn’t even here. He wasn’t real. He was just a spectator, watching the people below him go about their daily lives as always.

From his vantage point, he felt like God. He felt a control over them and over himself that was never there before. It was silly but it was true. Up here on the topmost floor of the Empire State building, he felt like nothing could stop him. Even if the wind picked up speed or the rain poured down harder on him to the point where his hair looks like soaked spaghetti. Maybe God felt this way whenever he had to take a life away.

Rejuvenated.

Reprieved.

_ Renewed.  _

He’s been planning this for practically three months. Nothing could stop him even if he wanted it too. The time was set.  _ 5 more minutes until descent.  _ There was no turning back and no one to turn back to. He was alone and that was okay. He was alone and that helped him realize why he needed to do this. There are a million things he hasn’t done but when will he ever have that sort of precious time again?

His tears were dry and flaky on his cheeks but he couldn’t cry anymore. There is no more energy left to waste on sobbing about reality. He wanted this. He  _ needed  _ this. No one will miss him.

_ No one.  _

He was alone and that’s why he needs to jump.

Jump and he would be free. Jump and he would break off the chains that have bounded him to the earth that hated him. Jump and he would see a new world where maybe he could be happy. Jump and maybe he could find himself and love that version because the body he lives in now makes him sick. There are parts that he doesn’t want to be his. There are parts that aren’t there that  _ should be.  _

He never felt like himself here. His purpose is twisted so why should he exist when he doesn’t feel like his place in this world is enough? He isn’t enough. He was  _ never  _ enough. Standing at the edge of the roof has given him more life than ever before. The world is ugly but the view is breathtakingly beautiful. Maybe that’s why he feels so twisted. The world is twisted too and even they’re confused on what they should be.

But the world denied while Minki tried to make sense of it all. 

He only got a cold dose of reality that told him  _ “You don’t belong here. You never have.”  _

So he believed them. He’s always believed them. That is why he must go. His place isn’t here; it never was. His place is six feet under the ground, maybe with a flower or two sitting above the unassuming dirt that conceals him from the rest of the universe. With a deep breath, he stepped closer and closer to the edge of the roof until only his heels were touching the concrete floor beneath her.

One more step and it’s over.

Just  _ one more step…  _

He took his step forward when suddenly he was pulled back with a harsh breath. Alarm bells rang in his head but his initial reaction was to freeze up. Warm arms wrapped around his waist and dragged him back down to the safest part of the roof. The rain started pouring harder and he ended up sitting on the floor with his back against a heavily breathing chest. Minki glanced to the side, his vision still blurry from the sudden attack, and saw a bright red light flashing atop a patch of dark skin.

**_60 years, 52 days, 7 hours, 1 minute and 38 seconds remaining_ **

He watched the seconds part tick backwards until the 7th hour turned to 6 and his brain started to process what he was staring at. Before he could reach out and touch it, a hand closed above his shaking arm and he turned around to look straight into the one who stopped him from jumping. The rain drenched both of them and he shook to the bone. They, however, kept breathing rapidly and darting their gaze to look anywhere but into his eyes.

Even if they weren’t looking, he could see that their eyes were a beautiful shade of brown. The city lights reflected off of their irises and gave them a glow that Minki didn’t think he ever saw in his lifetime. They may have asked him if he was okay but the rain combined with the harsher wind now made him shiver and curl himself into this stranger’s unfamiliar yet comforting warmth. He didn’t answer them but they knew.

6 hours turned to 5 by the time they reached the first floor of the building. Minki clung to the dark green plaid shirt of his stranger and they never let him down even once. They carried her all the way back down, neglecting the elevator, and opting to use the stairs. Their voice was rough yet flowed steady like a stream. They whispered nonsense, mostly observations on each floor that seemed out of place or interesting to them. Minki hung on every word for the farther away from the rooftop he got, the more difficulty he had breathing.

The first words he was able to properly decipher from them was “This is going to sound weird but do you know who I am?” and he would have laughed if it weren't for the shivers currently racking his entire body. Despite his messed up mind, he knew who this was. He knew from the moment he saw the blinking red numbers on their forearm. He saw at the split second before it turned to 60 years the time it was at originally.

It first said 60 seconds and then it blinked back to 60 years.

“It’s fine, you don't have to answer me. This is probably just odd to you but… I felt a pull to go up there, you know? Thank God, I work there but… God,  _ fuck,  _ I saw you up there and then my  _ clock  _ said 2 more minutes-- shit I was so scared when you started to step off…” He stayed silent and he realized then that he were settling him down on a table underneath the awning of a nearby cafe. “My clock changed back to 60 years when I saved you so I assumed that you-- that  _ we  _ were…” 

_ Soulmates.  _ He wanted to say it. The unbelievable fact that his soulmate was here and living and  _ real  _ made him want to try. But he couldn't speak to him. He  _ can't  _ speak to him and the pent up frustration made his lips quiver.  _ I’m sorry,  _ he wanted to say.  _ This is why I wanted to die. No one tries to understand me. No one can. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.  _

“You… I’m sorry if I aggravated you! I-I, holy shit, please don't cry! I didn't mean to--” Minki gripped his soulmate’s shoulder, breathing in and out carefully just so he could properly convey it to him. He took his hand shakily and placed his fingertips on his trembling lips. 

“I don’t understand…” He said but he just shook his head and squeezed his hand.  _ Please try to understand.  _

If his soulmate couldn't understand him, then that just proves to him that the universe really didn't want him alive.

A few minutes of silence passed between them with his soulmate still standing near the edge of the table he sat on. He stood close to him and stared at him quietly. The rain and the cars passing by became the only sounds that surrounded them. The cafe with the awning was closed. No one was walking by them. No one could see them and if they did, they chose to ignore them.

After a long while, where Minki was starting to shake again with desperation, his soulmate’s eyes lit up in understanding. He was so close to bursting into tears but he had to hear him say it first. This was his soulmate, the one person he was designed to love forever. He has given himself a second chance at proving the universe wrong. Because if he had a soulmate, that means he belonged. 

That means he has a purpose. He could love. He could grow stronger. Since he had a soulmate, he could truly find out who he was. 

“You can't speak, can you?” 

Minki shook his head  _ no.  _ His soulmate nodded in understanding.  _ Understanding.  _ He was already starting to feel the tears forming in his eyes.  _ They want to understand him.  _ “That’s alright. We can… We can work something out together, right?” 

As they waited for his response, he couldn't help but latch onto one word that made his feel warmth unlike anything he's ever felt in his lifetime.  _ Together. _

He nodded her head  _ yes.  _ They smiled. He smiled back.

His gaze went back to the clock ticking the minutes of her life away on their forearm and he pulled up the sleeve of his oversized hoodie. He bared his left arm out for his soulmate and pointed at the bright green numbers.

**_60 years, 53 days, 2 hours, 45 minutes and 22 seconds remaining_ **

“Oh wow… so  _ that's _ how long I’ll live. That's not too bad.” His soulmate smiled at her again and he was already getting a little bit obsessed with that slightly crooked smile. “This clock really is something else, huh?”

They stared at her for a while before he shook his head and laughed a little. “God, I’m an idiot. I never even said my name. I’m Dongho, if you want to know.” 

_ Dongho.  _

“You can… spell out your name for me if you want? Or you can write it down or fuck do you even  _ want me  _ to know your name? I mean I guess we’re soulmates but you don't have to  _ want  _ to--” Minki actually giggled at Dongho’s rambling. He talked a lot. Minki liked it. He could fill the dead air that always surrounded him with his smooth yet nervous voice. He could listen to Dongho talk all day.

_ I have a soulmate. _

He took Dongho’s hand again and traced his name one letter at a time. He waited until Dongho got every letter before he let his hand hover over theirs. “M-I-N-K-I? Minki? Is that your name?” 

He nodded her head a little more enthusiastically this time and they smiled a bit wider. “That's a beautiful name for a beautiful man.” He froze at that statement and he tried so hard not to cry again.

_ Beautiful man. _

“Oh shit-- did I say something wrong? I’m sorry if I--” The wind was knocked out of him when Minki threw his arms around Dongho's shoulders in a heartfelt embrace. He immediately put his arms around Minki and for once in his life,  _ something felt right.  _ Maybe even the universe was giving him a second chance. Dongho, this wonderful, sincere, kind, and good-natured person found him at last.

When he pulled away, he tucked a strand of black hair behind Dongho’s ear and gave him a shaky yet grateful smile.  _ Thank you.  _ He tried his best to mouth the words as clearly as he could, the voice he wished he had almost caught in his throat. He simply took Minki's hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze. “You don't have to thank me. I just happened to be there.  _ You _ chose to stay with me.”

Dongho don't understand Minki's gratitude just yet but that's alright. He has more than proven how much he wants to understand. That was enough for him. He gave them a watery smile that Dongho immediately returned with another squeeze for his cold hands. “You hungry? I know a place not too far from here. I can even ask the waiter for some paper so we can properly talk. Would that be okay?” 

Minki nodded his head yes one more time before Dongho helped him off the table and back on the ground. He didn't know what compelled him to do it but he initialized first contact and took Dongho's hand in his own. He started a bit but eventually gripped his hand with a comforting strength that kept him tied down to the new reality he was willing to face.

This was a new reality that told him  _ “You belong.”  _ And as he watched Dongho continue to describe the restaurant they were going to go to in vivid detail, he  _ knew _ . He knew exactly where he belonged. The new reality told him  _ “You belong with them.” _

So he believed it. 

**Author's Note:**

> That's the last of my soulmate AUs! If you want to talk about them or request some more, don't hesitate to @ me on twt @minmanager <3


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